A Storm Approaches
by nelliesbones
Summary: Booth finds himself in a whirlwind of emotions after the break-up with Hannah, but there is another storm building on the horizon... My take on "Blackout in the Blizzard". As always: warmhearted, spoilerfee and M for a reason.
1. Before the Storm

_Just a little idea I had today. _

A STORM APPROACHES

_It is still over the horizon, but there is lightning in the air. Are either of them aware of the gathering turbulence? Can they feel the crackle of electricity in the wind, or are they aware of only the power that they generate between themselves? The first hint of this storm is not a thunderclap... it is a knock. _

I. Before the Storm

The first week went by in a haze of whiskey and numbness. 'Don't feel. Don't think,' throbbed like a mantra in his dazed head. His apartment was as empty as his heart, and day by day he awoke, dressed himself and drove to work on autopilot.

Blue eyes were following his every movement, and Booth was sure that – despite her usual inability to read humans – Brennan could see his inner struggle, could look directly into his bruised soul. She tried to be there for him, he knew it, but more than once he felt the urge to scream.

Why now?

For years he had circled his partner like a moth which tries to get close to the fatal flame, addicted to every little sign that told him that she noticed it. A tiny touch, a laughter that was solely his to hear, a bright glance that lingered just a tad too long to be a glance. A head on his shoulder whenever she felt weak. He had taken and given. A plastic pig, a hug, the smurf she deserved. Words that went a long way down to soothe her old pain. A family.

And then – one night – driven by stupid courage and hope, his crazy heart had given too much. It had been the end of their universe of little details. Suddenly the innocence of their physical closeness had seemed to be contaminated, and, eventually, Brennan had fled. Marking the end of something. Opening the door to something new. Someone else. Someone but her...

The second week the pain came back with full force and in its wake the nagging questions. Why did he always fell in love with women who did not love him enough? Marriage, a wife, a single life shared – was it really too much to ask for?

Booth had witnessed so much death in his life, and Rebecca had reminded him of the vitality of youth. They had created a new life, new hope, but for reasons he failed to name it hadn't been enough.

Loving Brennan... loving Brennan had been inevitable, and he had known it right from the beginning. Not in a million years would he forget the unexpected clenching of his heart muscle when he had first laid eyes on the woman that should become his partner. His best friend. The protagonist of his dreams. And in the end his biggest pain.

Without being aware of it, Hannah had offered a way out of his misery, and gratitude had mingled with something else when he had first made love to her. She had invaded his life with laughter, and for a short while he had been truly happy. And then he had pretended to be happy for a while longer.

Booth wasn't a fool, and deep down he knew that marrying Hannah wouldn't have provided him with a solution. It would have prolonged something that was never meant to last in the first place. His love for the blonde journalist was tender and soothing, but... it did not burn. Never had.

And in the end, in the end he was too similar to a moth to settle for anything less than dazzling.

The third week his vision cleared somehow. Since Hannah had left, Booth had stated repeatedly that he was fine, had moved on, but for the first time it felt as if it might actually be true. Moving on... the only question was: In which direction?

Brennan's pale blue eyes did not stop observing him, cataloguing him, and every once in a while he met her gaze and felt the familiar ache. Only that it was different now. He had told her that he would be her partner from now on – nothing else – and she had accepted it. At least she had told him so. Her gaze, however, spoke a different language, and Booth didn't know if she was aware of the signals she was sending to him.

He had tried to forget it, had buried it as deep as possible, but it was in the third week when the memories of the night in the rain broke free. Not the first night, no, the second one. The one that hurt the most.

Her beautiful face covered with tears. Her small voice when she had whispered her regrets. Her sobs when he had to tell her that it was too late. The tingling sensation in his fingers when he had tried to suppress the urge to hug her.

She had never meant to hurt him, and he had never meant to hurt her, but somehow their history was saturated with pain. His, hers, theirs.

Rejecting her had been an ironic twist of fate. In all those years this had only been the second thing he had denied her. A gun and his heart. Although, he had to admit, that wasn't completely true because his heart had always been hers. He just couldn't tell her then.

He ended up spending Valentine's Day with her, and when he came home that night, the first candid smile in three weeks tugged at his lips, and suddenly the knot in his chest loosened somehow. In all those years he had never spent the 14th of February with Temperance Brennan, and this year she had chosen him over every other invitation she had gotten. No, she had not only chosen him, she had gone the extra mile to provide him with exactly the kind of celebration he had needed.

Maybe, Booth mused, maybe he didn't have to move in a certain direction. Maybe just drifting was okay for a while.

The fourth week found them having drinks at the Founding Fathers again, and everything felt almost normal.

-BONES-

"Cheers, Bones."

Raising her glass, she added.

"To us and one more solved case."

Both of them downed their shots, and his grimace was accompanied by her mild gasp when the golden liquor hit their throats.

The case hadn't even been particularly challenging, but for the first time in ages an undiluted happy mood surrounded them, making their hearts lightweight and their tongues incautious. Booth threw his arm up in the air, and the gesture was followed by a triumphant outcry.

"We rock, Baby!"

He noticed his slip immediately, and something inside of him cringed, but her face didn't show any reaction. After a moment he relaxed and exhaled a breath he hadn't been aware of holding.

Then he turned his attention to the barkeeper, and Brennan's heart started beating again. When the endearment had left his lips, a rush of warmth had spread out in her body, and Booth would never know how much it had cost her to keep her facial features unaffected. He hadn't meant to call her that name, she knew it, and reacting to it could have made things worse. They had just stopped walking on eggshells around each other, and Brennan was glad for their newly found bond of trust and friendship.

Somehow the tables were turned now, and he wasn't ready yet. A few weeks ago he had told her that he would never be. Twisting her glass in her hand, Brennan remembered that conversation. They had been sitting in exactly the same spot, but back then his eyes had been dark and haunted. To her, Booth was the most honest and loyal person she knew, but despite her usual literalness, this time Brennan didn't believe him. Something in the way he looked at her told her that there would always be another option for them, one that was more than mere partner- or friendship.

She just needed to wait for him.

The barkeeper placed two fresh drinks in front of them, and she nodded her "Thank you".

"Bones?"

By the way he was looking at his glass and not at her face, Brennan could tell that her partner was suddenly nervous again.

"What is it?"

"I've been thinking. I want to thank you somehow... For what you did on Valentine's Day. Is there something I could do that would make you happy?"

For a moment she stared at him with wide eyes while her mind formed several scenarios how exactly Booth could make her very happy. None of them seemed appropriate, though, and she cleared her throat.

"Not necessary. I enjoy whatever we do together. I had a lot of fun myself," she smiled, and for a moment he lost himself in it.

"How did you know it anyway? That I always wanted to shoot a gun like that? Why did you give it to me?"

Suddenly her answer was very important, even though he didn't know if he was truly ready for it.

She hesitated for a heartbeat.

"You want the truth?"

Did he want it?

"Yes. Please," he added.

Taking a deep breath, Brennan twisted her glass in her hands.

"I knew it because... I know you. I gave it to you... Well..."

She stopped, taking another breath to calm her racing heart. Then her crystal blue eyes searched his.

"Do you remember the phone Hannah gave to you?"

'Stupid question,' she thought, and instantly his gaze clouded, as he nodded.

"She asked me about a gift for you, and it seemed reasonable to tell her about the phone. But... ever since I saw the delight in your eyes, I've been asking myself why_ I_ didn't give it to you. I still don't know why, but I promised myself to never withhold such a simple pleasure from you again. You are important to me, Booth, and I like giving things to you that make you happy."

She shrugged helplessly.

"Whatever that means... I want to see you smile."

Her confession was followed by silence, but Booth wondered if she could hear the walls inside of him crumbling. Her truth had been so simple, even though there was nothing simple about it.

"Thanks, Bones," he said softly.

Something between them shifted, and suddenly he felt bravery he hadn't experienced for a long while raising its head.

"Hypothetically..."

Her eyes flew to him.

"Hypothetically?"

He nodded, his brown orbs holding her inquiring gaze.

"Can we... Bones, I need to know some things."

"Hypothetically?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

Her guts twisted in anxiety, as she awaited his questions.

"Some weeks ago I gave you two options."

She nodded.

"You chose to stay."

One more nod.

"If I had given you another one... would it have led to a different outcome?"

There is was, the moment of truth Brennan had sought and dreaded simultaneously, but she was long past denial.

"Yes."

And he saw it in her eyes.

"If I ever gave you another one... hypothetically..."

"Booth... I'm a scientist, and I know that, logically speaking, my next sentence doesn't make any sense, but... there will _always_ be another option for us because in the end it isn't really our choice."

A tentative finger brushed his hand, and he curled his pinky around it in a gesture that was more a promise than a touch.

"You have changed, Temperance."

"So have you."

With a final caress, he released the warmth of her hand.

"One more drink?"

"Always."

-BONES-

It was the fourth week, and something inside of him was burning again. But this time it wasn't burning in despair.

It was burning with hope.

To be continued...

_Intrigued? Give me two weeks to continue this story ;-) Whatever idea the show might come up with, this one will end happy soon._


	2. In the Storm

II. In the Storm

The fifth week the weather got as crazy as his feelings. An icy wind was blustering through the streets of D.C., and with it came the snow. Not the romantic, fluffy kind of snowflakes that evokes the wish to cuddle up in front of a fireplace but rather a white, dangerous mass. The kind of snow that doesn't stop murderers.

The kind of snow that stilled their world for a few hours and brought them close – literally.

At least the elevator in Booth's building was an old and nostalgic one and didn't remind of being buried in a car. Or trapped in a trunk.

Given the circumstances and despite their pressure to solve the case it was... almost comfortable.

The kind of comfortable that made her reluctant to say "goodbye" at the end of the day, and so the late evening wind found the two partners in his apartment, sharing a beer. Sharing something else.

Brennan felt close to Booth, a closeness that expanded her chest and warmed her insides – a closeness she hadn't experienced in a long time – as they were sipping their beers, munching popcorn and laughing together.

"I'm just... angry. You know, angry..."

At first, she didn't sense the sudden change of mood, and his remark caught her by surprise. Her face fell, as the words sunk in, and she remembered another conversation not so long ago, when the three times the women in his life had hurt him had resulted in utmost despair.

"Not at you."

As always, he understood her instantly and saved her. Relief flooded her entire being.

"I just need time, that's all. Time to hang back and find that inner peace before I, you know, get back out there."

She knew that, but, nevertheless, she wanted to give him something. She wanted him to be proud of her, she needed to be worthy of him.

"I'm improving."

She needed him to know that she had changed... for him.

Over the years with Booth, she had lost her imperviousness, the strong shell which had surrounded her heart ever since she had been fifteen years old. He had cracked it.

The first feeling he had stirred in her had been attraction, soon followed by annoyance. Not being able to compartmentalize him, Dr. Temperance Brennan had settled for avoiding Agent Seeley Booth, but, in the end, he had found her again. Had touched her life with his passion and compassion. Had made her greedy to feel it as well.

It had turned into friendship, and at times his exaggerated protectiveness could grate on her, but, sometimes, it had just... felt nice. Whatever Booth had been in all those years, most of all he had been _there_. He had seen her at her best, he had seen her at her worst, and regardless of what he had witnessed, he had stayed.

She had learned to rely on him.

She had cried on his shoulder.

He had made her weak, so weak that it had scared her. Too weak to accept his promise of love, too scared to give in to the tempting feeling of purpose that brushed her heart whenever he looked at her.

Back then she hadn't been able to understand the meaning of the unfamiliar weakness, so she had fled.

Seven months away from the smile in his eyes had affected her, and instead of renewing her shield, she had learned to accept the weakness. And in the end, it had made her stronger.

Strong enough to feel the pain when he had come back with another woman.

Weak enough to finally break and name her regrets.

Strong enough to get up and face him afterwards.

Weak enough to hope for a different outcome.

Strong enough to stand by him after his world had shattered.

"When you and I met, I was an impervious substance. Now I'm a strong substance."

Because he had touched her. Had made her feel.

Of course, Brennan still heard the ice-cold whisper of fear from time to time, but she didn't listen to it anymore. She knew exactly when the balance pan had shifted, when the promise of warmth had finally won over the cold breath of fear. She could name the events that had turned her world upside down, had made her feel right-side up.

"A time could come when you aren't angry anymore and I'm strong enough to risk losing the last of my imperviousness. Maybe then we could try to be together."

Despite the calmness of her words, her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, and Brennan was almost afraid that he could hear it...

Her words were spoken so calmly that Booth almost didn't hear her over the loud rhythm of his heartbeat. Could she feel it? Would she notice how moved he really was by this conversation?

For all his life, Seeley Booth had been a pro in faking calmness. As a son of an alcoholic father, as a sniper, as a gambler. It wasn't as if he couldn't control his feelings, no, he had purposely chosen to let them reign. He had chosen life with everything it implied because sometimes just living and feeling was the hardest part.

He had chosen life over and over again after his dad had beaten him up; he had chosen life when his feet had been broken; he had chosen life after love had turned into loss. Every single time. Booth had just recovered from the latest blow, and the prospect of unleashing strong emotions so soon again scared him.

But this was Bones sitting next to him, and despite the maze he had spent the last months in, Booth knew that their paths were meant to cross. Had always known it.

_I know who you are. You are not a bad anything. You are the standard. I knew. _

Words he had said to her over the years came back with full force, every single one of them filling him with truth. He had always been a gambler, but for the first time Booth realized that between the two of them, it was his partner who had taken the biggest gamble.

For him she had risked losing the terrain she knew, had left the safe ground of science and reason. This afternoon, in the elevator, she had said "making love". Not "satisfying biological urges", not even "becoming intimate". She had used his vocabulary to show him that they were on the same page, that she desired what he had once wanted to give her.

And now she was sitting next to him, promising him something that couldn't possibly be promised by a scientist.

Her heart.

And he wanted it, he wanted it so much that he felt the need to show her the depth of his commitment.

"When I was a kid and I wanted something really, really bad, I'd write it down on a piece of paper and I'd burn it. It was like a spell; it was bound that my wish would come true."

He had written down the date when he would finally be strong enough to stand up to his father. The date when the latest punch would stop hurting. He had written down some other dates in the meantime, but never since he had been a very little boy, he had needed something so urgently.

He wanted her. But he needed to be strong for her as well, and he wasn't strong enough right now.

When the last sparks of the fire had gone out, Booth turned his head to find her looking at him.

"What now?" Brennan asked in her soft voice.

"Now it will happen," he answered hoarsely.

"You and me..."

"We will happen."

"Does it scare you?"

Taking a sip of his temporarily forgotten beer, Booth pondered her question thoroughly.

"Believing that it could never happen scared me more. What about you?"

Taking a deep breath, she picked up on his honesty.

"It doesn't scare me as much as thinking that I missed my chance."

Closing his eyes, he gathered the courage for his next words.

"Do you have any idea how badly I wanted to hug you that night?"

"Probably not as much as I needed to be hugged," she answered honestly. "But you couldn't do it, I understood. You haven't hugged me in a very long time," she added on a whisper.

"Do you know why?"

"Yes."

Because it had never been a guy hug at all.

"You know what? You have been wrong. You aren't 'improving'."

Confusion mixed with hurt on her face, and Booth hurried to clarify his statement.

"'Improving' means that something has been bad. You have never been bad, Bones, you have always been wonderful."

She opened her mouth, but he stilled her with a gesture of his hand.

"I get what you wanted to say, and the metaphor was nicely chosen, but, still, the word is wrong. You might be 'changing', 'adapting', 'opening', but not 'improving'. I didn't correct you when you told me that you couldn't change. I will never make that mistake again. You are wonderful. Always."

A smile lit up her beautiful face at his compliment, and warmth outweighed fear one more tad.

"You are the only one who ever thought that."

"Well, then everybody else is stupid."

"Booth... you and me..."

"Yeah?"

"Whenever it happens, I will try my best to make you happy."

"I have no doubt. And so will I."

-BONES-

Later that night, when he decided that she shouldn't leave his apartment in the aftermath of a blizzard, Booth prepared Parker's bed for his partner and provided her with an old T-shirt to sleep in. Not in the mood to argue with him, Brennan just accepted his offer, and this alone told him how much she meant what they had just discussed.

Her face looked sleepy and pale when she squinted at him, her dark hair spread out like a fan on Parker's dinosaur-printed pillow.

"Nighty night, Bones."

"Sleep tight, Booth."

"Do you need something else?"

Did she need anything? She hesitated briefly, and he noticed it.

"What is it? You can tell me everything."

"Would you... would you hug me?"

Her words reached out to his heart, but, nevertheless, he stilled for a moment before he approached her.

"This wouldn't be a guy hug."

Holding his gaze, she nodded.

"I'm not asking for a guy hug."

His lips formed a smile, as Booth took a seat on the mattress. Immediately, she lifted herself, outstretching her arms, and he wrapped her slender form around his body.

Silky hair in his face, her heart-crushingly familiar scent in his nose, soft curves pressed against his solid chest, long arms around his neck. His palm roamed over her back, and her soft sigh of contentment in his ear was almost his undoing.

It was a perfect fit – like two pieces of a puzzle, like Yin and Yang, like summer and winter. Contradictions that complemented each other. She and him. They were perfect.

The feeling of rightness he had tried to forget for so long overwhelmed him, and he crushed her to his body. She didn't seem to mind, though, and tightened her hold on him even more. When he felt the soft touch of her lips on his neck, he released her with a tender kiss on her temple. Her eyes were bright and shining at him.

"Thank you, Booth."

Unable to tear his gaze away from her, he brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"It makes it more real, doesn't it?"

And one more time this night, Temperance Brennan knew exactly what they were talking about. She who had evolved so much looked at him who had always been there for her, giving him once again a promise with her eyes. As always, he understood her, and with a gentle caress of his thumb over her lips, he got up to leave her room for the night.

Tomorrow would be another day, and it was the fifth week when they were finally on the same page, looking in the same direction.

Straight ahead.

To be continued...

_Await my next update this weekend. Next chapter will be... "After the Storm"._


	3. After the Storm

III. After the Storm

The snow was melting, and with it the last tension between the two partners. Ever since their heart-to-heart conversation during the storm Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth had moved towards each other with new determination. They had given each other a promise, and neither of them was able to ignore the new depth of their connection.

It was more than a gamble, more than a shot, even more than the hope that something might happen eventually. They had set a date. Made it real.

There hadn't been any more hugs, though.

Booth wasn't sure if he could stop touching her if he started it in the first place.

Brennan was afraid that physical contact might ignite the spark and push them too far too soon.

And even though some people might call it a "standstill", both of them were content with the situation for now. Brennan was basking in the affection his eyes showed whenever he looked at her unguardedly; Booth was still reveling in the fact that this brilliant woman, his partner, did feel something for him.

It was fragile, awkward sometimes, but at the same time it made them stronger than ever.

As a team they were as successful as always, as friends they enjoyed each others company, and the rest... would have to wait.

Attentive observers might have noticed something about the way they were looking at each other or standing just a tad to close from time to time, but these days there weren't any attentive observers in the lab; everybody was simply too occupied with their very own roller coaster of life.

So days went by, and the healing power of time repaired the bond between Booth and Brennan until they were, once again, everything they had been... only more.

Stronger. Tighter. Closer.

He had stopped counting the weeks since Hannah had left him; Brennan had stopped counting the wrinkles of sorrow around his eyes.

He was laughing again. Wholehearted and loud, the kind of laughter that was so contagious that it always triggered her own.

She was... feeling.

-BONES-

"I am not positive that I really want to go there, Cam."

"I hate saying it, Dr. Brennan, but you don't have a choice this time. You have to attend this fundraiser event. We all have to."

Furrowing her brow, Brennan regarded her boss sceptically.

"Somehow I doubt the sincerity of your hate."

"Then doubt it," Cam smirked, "but you will be there tonight."

"Where will you be, Bones?"

A whistling Seeley Booth was stepping onto the forensic platform just in time to hear Cam's last sentence. Rolling her eyes, Brennan turned to him.

"Apparently my appearance at a fundraiser event tonight is desired, but I really don't want to go."

"Ah, come on, Bones, it could be fun."

Her jaw dropped.

"Fun? Booth, you hate these events as well, they are usually very tiresome."

He shrugged, apparently in the mood to tease her.

"Oh, Dr. Brennan, I have to say your latest novel was _spec-ta-cu-lar_."

She slapped him unceremoniously, and Cam cut them off.

"If you think they are so much fun, why don't you join us, Booth? Or do you already have a date, Dr. Brennan?"

For a moment the two partners regarded each other dumbstruck. A date... They hadn't discussed this part, but the mere thought of _his_ Bones going out with another man made his guts clench painfully in protest. She could read his mind and tried to reassure him with her eyes. She hadn't even thought of seeking someone else's company. He should know that. Shouldn't he?

"As a matter of fact, I don't have a date. So, Booth, if you want to come, humor me."

He regained his composure quickly.

"Humor you? Oh, count on it. I'll pick you up at, uh, when do I pick you up?"

"Seven will be fine. But we can meet there, I'm positive Angela wants to do something with my hair beforehand."

"Great. It's a date."

As soon as the words were out, Booth blushed, and Cam looked back and forth between the two partners with amused interest.

"I mean, not really a date... You know."

Saving him, Brennan interrupted his ramblings.

"I know. I will see you there."

Running his hand over his forehead, he nodded, thankful for the rescue.

"Yeah, right. See you later, then."

Unable to tear his eyes away from her, Booth missed the first step and stumbled unceremoniously down the platform. Soft laughter was following him, as he headed away with a red face, and Cam turned to her coworker.

"Care to enlighten me?"

Brennan regarded Booth's retreating form with an affectionate smile.

"I don't know what that means."

"Oh, Dr. Brennan, I'd say you know exactly what it means. Just let me tell you... I like it and I approve of it. Whatever," she made a vague gesture with her hand, "it is. This lab has been way too boring without the... _thing_ between the two of you. I'm glad everything feels normal again."

Giving her boss a long gaze, Brennan finally confessed.

"Me too."

Cam nodded.

"That said, make sure to look _spec-ta-cu-lar_ at 7 pm sharp."

Letting go of a frustrated sigh, Brennan turned to the bones lying in front of her, but suddenly the prospect of the evening didn't seem so terrible anymore.

-BONES-

At 7 pm that night she did look spectacular.

When Booth entered the festively decorated ballroom, his eyes found her immediately, and he had to suck in a breath. It seemed as if the whole room was spinning, suddenly snapping into place, and she was the center of it.

Temperance Brennan wore an ivory-colored dress just slightly darker than the natural shade of her pale skin. Her mahogany hair was pinned up, only a few strands of her bangs falling into her elegant face.

She held a glass of wine in her hand and seemed to be talking to someone, but Booth only saw her and nothing else. Faces, music, voices – it all disappeared, leaving him alone with just her.

She was stunning, but then again, she had always been. No, it was more than just her beauty. It was something about the way his heart seemed to gravitate towards her; something about the sweet ache

he felt at the contrast between her hair and her skin. Something about the glow on her face. She was standing too far away for him to actually see the expression in her baby blues, but in his mind's eye Booth could feel their depth.

There was a shift inside of him, and he looked at her as if he was taking in something new. The old mix of tenderness and pain – honeycombed with a trace of despair – which had been feeling Brennan for so long was replaced by something else. Something that spoke of a beginning.

Slowly his feet got the signal from his brain, and Booth set himself in motion, walking towards her. He could tell the exact moment when she spotted him, and a sudden rush of male pride consumed him, as her eyes seemed to zero in on him alone. A full smile lit up her face, and she raised her hand in a child-like gesture full of cuteness.

Then he was by her side, and without thinking about it, Booth lowered his face and grazed his lips over her soft cheek.

"You look beautiful tonight."

A rosy flush covered her face, and she bowed her head.

"Thank you, Booth. You are very handsome yourself."

And he was. The tux he wore emphasized his physical strength in a subtle way; his face was freshly shaven, his eyes clear. Finally lifting her head, Brennan felt as if she was falling into his gaze. He had always looked at her in a special way, but she hadn't found that much in his dark brown orbs for a long time. Not since he had left. Most certainly not since he had come back. Tonight his eyes were... open. He wasn't hiding anymore.

Oh God, she loved him. Brennan loved this man more than she had ever loved anything or anybody else in her whole life. Her love was like the first step of a newly born giraffe – full of tentativeness, afraid to stumble, but at the same time driven by the deep instinct that it was the right thing to do. And underneath the initial awkwardness one could already guess the natural grace that was bound to unfold.

"Do you want some more wine?"

Reality caught up with her as he spoke, and her gaze fell to the glass in her hand.

"No, thanks, I'm fine."

"Okay, I'll be back soon."

Before he left, he raised his hand but stopped without actually touching her. Instantly, Brennan took a tiny step in his direction until his hand cupped her shoulder. Inhaling a shuddered breath, Booth let his palm slide down her slender arm, linking his fingers with hers for just the fraction of a moment. She returned the gentle pressure of his hand, and then he let go of her.

"Back soon," he whispered against the loud noise of his heartbeat.

"I'll wait for you," she promised.

As soon as he had left, Brennan could sense another presence next to her. Turning her head, she spotted her best friend who was glowing with the beauty of pregnancy and something else.

"What was that," Angela asked on a smile.

"That was Booth."

Rolling her eyes, the artist snorted,

"Thanks for the clarification. No, I mean the lingering gaze and little touch you two just shared."

"Well, I guess those were a lingering gaze and a little touch."

"Brenn, I love you, but I'm running out of patience here."

"What do you want me to tell you?" Brennan asked helplessly.

"You and Booth..."

"Me and Booth?"

"Did something happen between the two of you?"

Thinking about the last weeks, Brennan tried to apply her friend's definition of "something".

"No," she finally stated. "But something will happen."

Angela stayed unusually quiet for a few seconds and just looked at her best friend. Then she closed the distance and placed a gentle kiss on Brennan's cheek.

Furrowing her brow, Brennan wondered,

"What is it about people kissing my cheek tonight?"

"I'm proud of you, Brenn."

Taking a moment to let the words sink in, Brennan finally smiled.

"Me too."

"You know that you love him, don't you?"

"Yes."

Booth chose the moment to appear next to the two women, and Angela noticed how her best friend leaned into his personal space. Fully aware that she should probably turn around and leave them alone, Angela couldn't quite stop looking at the two of them.

For too long she had just gotten glimpses of fragments, and taking in the whole picture was kind of a revelation. Because whole they were. Without a doubt, he was handsome, and she was beautiful... but only together Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth looked as perfect as one of Michelangelo's sculptures. Complete.

Instinctively her hands covered her belly, evidence of another case of completion.

"I'm leaving," she finally stated, and Booth looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Spill it out, Angela."

"What?"

"Whatever you have to say. I can see it in your eyes."

"I'm just so happy. Happy to be with Jack, happy that my baby is healthy, happy for the two of you. It's okay to be happy for you, isn't it?"

Exchanging a meaningful glance with his partner, Booth gave Angela a smile.

"It is."

"Whatever you did to get this right, don't stop."

"We won't."

It was Brennan speaking, and, once again, Angela felt a rush of pride for her best friend.

"Great. Tell me when there is... more to be happy about. In the meantime you'll find me next to my husband over there. Or in the bathroom."

With that she sashayed away, as graceful as possible given her current size.

"That was strange," Brennan admitted.

"Yeah. But nice as well."

"Booth, we're trying to predict the future which is naturally unpredictable."

He looked at her thoroughly.

"You've gotten scared again?"

Taking a sip of wine gave her one more moment to ponder his question.

"Sometimes. But not too scared. After all, I'm strong," she finally added with a proud smile, and he took her small hand into his bigger one.

"Strong, beautiful, special, brilliant, stubborn, infuriating, unique."

His words warmed her from the inside out.

"You know that I wouldn't have asked another man to accompany me tonight, don't you?"

"I hoped it. Bones... we didn't talk about it, but I couldn't stand it. You are... never mind."

Turning his head, he avoided her gaze, but she wouldn't tolerate it.

"No, Booth, please. I am what?"

Could he dare saying it?

"_Mine_," he finally whispered, and the soft word tugged at her heart.

"I like that," she confessed. "Are you... are you still angry?"

"No, I am enchanted. But... I don't know if_ I _am strong enough already."

Leaning closer to him, Brennan placed her head on his shoulder. It felt right, so right.

"Maybe I'm strong enough for both of us."

With a smile he wrapped his arm around her waist, gently cradling her.

"I don't want to be a burden, Temperance. I want to carry you."

"Sometimes a burden can be a good thing," she murmured against his neck, thinking about another dream.

"I know, but I want to be strong for you as well."

Nuzzling his shoulder with her face, she sighed in contentment.

"I can accept that, even though, from where I'm standing, you will always be the strongest person I've ever met."

Smiling into her hair, Booth placed a grateful kiss on top of her head.

"Thanks."

"Booth, let me tell you something about bones. When they've been broken, they cannot heal completely as long as they are immobilized in a cast. In order to become really strong and durable again, they have to be stimulated carefully."

"Ladies and gentlemen, excuse me..."

A sonorous voice filled the room, and Booth noticed the gray looking man standing on the podium.

"Who is that guy, Bones?"

"Lawrence Abbot, professor of Egyptology."

"A mummy man?"

Despite her mock annoyance, Brennan couldn't suppress a chuckle.

"Don't call him like that, he is a very renowned scientist."

"Does this mean the boring part starts?"

Taking a step away from her partner, Brennan smoothed her dress.

"I'm afraid it does."

-BONES-

Three speeches and a meal later Booth felt as if his palms were numb from clapping and his face was frozen in an artificial smile. If it hadn't been for Brennan never leaving his side, he would have doubted his sanity to practically invite himself to such a boring event. The squinty conversations around him had lulled his brain into a state of waking sleep, and the four glasses of wine he had already consumed didn't help the matter.

Suddenly he was irrationally glad that they hadn't made it to the lecture about the Peloponnesian War.

Fully aware of her partner's current state, Brennan couldn't hide a smile. Leaning closer to him, she whispered into his ear.

"See? I told you that this is no fun."

"Nah, Bones, I'm having the time of my life."

He tried, but the sleepiness in his voice betrayed his words. Putting his empty glass on the table in front of him, Booth grabbed her hand and placed it on his thigh, covered by his own. His thumb drew slow circles over her fingers, and Brennan looked at it mesmerized. He didn't even seem to be aware of his action.

"Booth, you're holding my hand," she finally whispered, and his eyes went wide.

"Crap. I didn't notice, sorry."

His hold on her loosened, but she refused to let go of his hand.

"I didn't complain."

Turning her hand, she offered her open palm to his touch, and, tentatively, his fingers came back, caressing her.

"I think I'm tired, Bones. And I probably had one glass of wine too much."

Laughing softly, she gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Let me take you home."

"No way. I'm the man. I'm taking _you_ home."

"Even though I fail to see what your sex has to do with it, I'm fine with your suggestion."

Half an hour later they had said their goodbyes and the cab stopped in front of her building. Taking a deep breath, Brennan turned around to face her partner.

"You want to come up for a coffee?"

Booth regarded her silently. She looked so beautiful in the pale light of the car, and the tenderness he felt for her was almost too much to bear.

"I want to. Which is why I won't," he answered honestly. "But I'll walk you upstairs."

Asking the cab driver to wait and jumping out of the car happened in the blink of an eye. Of course, she didn't wait for him to open her door, but when he offered her the crook of his arm, she accepted it.

Her dress seemed to wave around her legs like a fluffy could of white, and the soft weight of her on his arm was a burden Booth was more than willing to carry. Her words about the healing process of bones came back to his mind. Could she be right? He didn't know it, but when he looked at the wonderful woman walking next to him, he found a part not so deep inside of him that didn't want to wait anymore.

Way too soon they had reached her door, and she tilted her head to look at him.

"Thanks to you I actually had fun tonight," she smiled.

"Seeing you in a dress like this would have been worth even more boring speeches," he returned the compliment.

"I find that I feel the need to hug you again," she stated on a whisper.

He wanted to kiss her, he wanted to bury her in his arms, he wanted her long legs wrapped around his hips. He wanted to tunnel his hands in her hair until she would look gloriously disheveled. He wanted to see her alabaster skin underneath his darker one, he wanted to drown in her.

He wanted passion and laughter and life, and once more he trusted her as he – metaphorically speaking – stretched his freshly healed bone. It still felt fragile somehow, but stronger than he had thought it would be.

And with a smile that came out of his heart he opened his arms for her and welcomed the softness of her body. Her cheek pressed to his, he could smell her delicate perfume and the April scent of her warm skin.

Then he kissed her. She hadn't seen it coming, but her lips parted ever so slightly under his mouth.

More pressure on the fracture – but it held.

Very gently his tongue slid between her lips, and when he met her own, something fell back into place. His arms wrapped themselves around her waist, and Booth felt her hands in his hair. She tasted so sweet; achingly familiar and new at the same time. There was dizziness in his head, weakness in his knees, and then it all disappeared, and the only thing left was the velvety touch of her tongue, the soft caress of her lips. The perfect feeling of kissing Temperance Brennan.

She went pliant in his embrace, and only her arms around his neck locked tighter – as if she was afraid that he would slip away if she didn't hold on to him.

No way in hell he would.

He kissed her for a long time. He kissed her until the soreness in his chest was covered by pure warmth, until the reality of the moment was engraved in his memory forever, until he was certain that he would be kissing her for the rest of his life.

When they broke apart, panting heavily, her cheeks were glowing with rosiness, and in her eyes he found endearment, hunger, rawness and so much more.

"That was..."

Unable to finish his sentence, Booth stopped, and she simply nodded. He drew her into his arms one more time, holding her close, and her heart was beating next to his own. In synchrony.

"The cab is waiting," he finally murmured, releasing her with reluctance.

"Thank you, Booth."

He looked at her for a long time, cupping her cheek in a gesture of infinite tenderness.

"No, thank _you_, Temperance."

Then he started to walk away, but before he could disappear around the corner, she called his name, running towards him. Booth looked at her in surprise, but he caught her when she threw herself into his arms, pressing her lips to his once again.

"Goodnight, Booth."

"Goodnight, my dear. I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered before he went away for real.

The night was quiet, the stars blinking, his heart dancing.

He felt strong.

To be continued...


	4. Into the Sun

_Are you ready to face happiness? Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, your kind and encouraging words mean a lot to me. I've never begged for reviews, and I mostly write for myself, just because I love it, but your reviews are the icing on my cake :-) I hope you'll enjoy this one – I did._

IV. Into the Sun

The next morning Brennan awoke with a warm feeling of fuzziness in her stomach, and for once in her life she was grateful that, theoretically, she didn't have to work on a Saturday. Even though she knew that it was impossible, she could still taste and feel him on her lips.

Seeley Booth.

Her partner.

The man she had learned to love.

The man for whom she had learned how to love in the first place.

Lolling in her bed, Brennan enjoyed the early morning sun that was shining in through her half-closed blinds, and she still debated whether to get up or simply daydream for a while, when a knock on the door interrupted her musing.

The wide eyes of the delivery man who was standing in front of her reminded her of the fact that she had forgotten to pull a robe over the boxers and top ensemble she wore.

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she tried to get the man's attention.

"Yes?"

Remembering his duty, he closed his mouth and handed her a pot full of earth. She regarded it with a puzzled look on her face.

"What is it?"

The man shrugged.

"Some kind of plant. You have to sign here."

Scribbling her signature, Brennan tried to find out more about the mysterious delivery. Indeed, it seemed to be a plant or something like that since a little sprout of green was visible in the middle of the fresh earth. There was a card as well, and after she had closed her door behind the delivery man, she placed the pot on her kitchen counter and turned her attention to the little envelope.

As soon as she caught sight of the characteristic handwriting, her face lit up like the sun itself. She would recognize it any time.

_Bones,_

_I hope you're smiling right now. Thank you for yesterday and everything else._

_In case you don't recognize it, it's a daffodil. _

_Yours,_

_Booth_

She was touched, deeply touched by this little gesture, and she made a big ceremony out of choosing the perfect place for her little plant and watering it for the first time. Then she fetched her cell and pressed speed dial.

"Good morning sunshine," came his voice, and she smiled even more.

"I think you are mistaken here. This is Dr. Temperance Brennan speaking, but if you are referring to either the weather or my current mood, you might be correct," she answered playfully.

He chuckled.

"You want some company for breakfast?"

"I don't want 'some company', but I would love to see you," she answered truthfully.

"Great, then you should open your door."

"Huh?"

"Door. Open."

Setting herself in motion, Brennan opened her apartment door for the second time this morning, and for the second time she forgot about her state of dress. Booth's wide eyes reminded her soon enough, and she looked down at herself.

"Sorry, I just got up."

Her current style couldn't have differed more from the way she had looked last night, but her beauty hadn't changed. If any, she was even more stunning this morning. An unruly mass of dark hair surrounded her face which was bare of make-up. Her cheeks possessed a rosy glow, and Booth saw more milky-white skin than he had ever laid eyes on. The thin top she wore was pale blue and hugged her body perfectly. Her legs, her slender legs seemed to go on forever. And her breasts...

Booth swallowed hard. She looked perfect and sexy, but at the same time so young and innocent that he didn't know if he wanted to tuck her in or devour her. Maybe both.

Getting self-conscious under his intense stare, Brennan fidgeted slightly.

"Wait a moment, I'm getting dressed."

"No!"

The word left his heart without thinking, and he cleared his throat.

"I mean, do whatever you're comfortable with, but, Bones, you look wow. And if you don't mind, I'd love to have breakfast with you just the way you are right now."

His gaze finally made it to her face, and as soon as his hazelnut-brown kind of warmth was shining at her, she felt calmer.

"Okay, but I have to go to the bathroom. You can make coffee in the meantime."

"Don't brush your hair," he found the courage to say, and she laughed.

Alone in her bathroom, Brennan looked at herself in the mirror.

"Sometimes I cannot understand your definition of beauty, Seeley Booth," she murmured, as she took in her tousled hair.

However, she had to admit, there was a certain glow around her face that was new and charming. It couldn't be explained rationally, but somehow she felt as if the last night had changed her. Changed them, Brennan mused, as she brushed her teeth.

She heard Booth rummaging around and whistling in her kitchen. It felt... intimate, and suddenly his request made sense for her. He wanted to know her like he hadn't known her before; he wanted to see her undisguised.

For a brief moment, her heart clenched, but then she relaxed. After all, this was Booth, and there was no dark secret about her that he didn't already know. She had laughed with him, she had cried with him, and he had always given her a smile of his own, a hug or a handkerchief – whatever she had needed. And if _he_ needed to see her with unruly hair and no make-up right now, he would get it. No more hiding.

Leaving the bathroom, Brennan padded into her kitchen on bare feet.

"Oh, it smells delicious, Booth. What are you making?"

Turning around, Booth flashed her a beaming smile, irrationally delighted that she had indeed not brushed her hair.

"Pancakes, coffee, fruit salad."

He was standing in front of her stove, a towel slung around his hips, and it looked so domestic that Brennan felt a strange ache in her chest, as she tried to remember the last time somebody had cooked breakfast for her in her own kitchen.

It had been... a while.

Unsure where they were standing after the last night, she decided to throw caution in the wind and followed her instinct as she approached him, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. He went rigid for a moment, but before fear could creep into her heart, he relaxed and leaned back into her embrace. His body was warming her through his clothes, and then she felt his big hands covering her own.

"Thanks for making breakfast and thanks for sending me my favorite flower."

He shrugged, and his shoulder brushed her cheek in the process.

"You have been awfully nice to me lately, even when I haven't been so nice to you. I wanted to make you happy."

"You did. Booth, about the flower..."

"Huh?"

"Is there a hidden symbolic meaning behind it? A magical thing that will happen as soon as it blooms?"

Turning around in her arms, Booth finally faced her.

"No," he answered. "I think we should just, you know, let it grow."

Let it grow.

"I like that," she said and raised herself onto her tiptoes until her nose touched his one.

With a smile of his own he nuzzled her nose and wrapped his arms loosely around her waist.

"How did you sleep?"

"Good. Very good."

"Last night was nice."

"It was."

"You have a very cute nose."

Laughing out loud, Brennan threw her head back, but his smile hadn't lost its sincerity.

"Seriously?"

"Absolutely."

"Well, thanks, I guess."

Suddenly her eyes widened in shock.

"The plant... what if I kill it?"

He chuckled and cradled her in his arms.

"Then I'll buy you a new one. It's... just a plant, Bones."

Gnawing her lower lip, Brennan wasn't sure if she could trust his words, after all, the world of double entendres and romantic symbols was still new to her.

"Okay," she finally said. "But whenever I'm about to endanger something that _is_ more than just a plant, you have to tell me, Booth."

Smoothing her hair with his palms, Booth tried to reassure her with his eyes.

"You would notice. I trust you. And now," he released her with a peck on the tip of her nose, "let's eat."

The coffee was hot, the pancakes deliciously sweet when Booth and Brennan shared their first meal of intimacy. It was so much better than eating alone.

And the sun was shining.

-BONES-

An hour later their mugs and plates were as empty as their stomachs were full, and Brennan leaned back in her chair.

"That was lovely. You are an excellent breakfast maker, Booth," she complimented him, and he thanked her with a sweet smile.

"What are your plans for the day?"

Booth cast a glance at his watch.

"Parker's baseball game starts in about an hour, and then I'm gonna spend the day with him. You wanna tag along?"

"Only if you want to. I don't want to be an intruder."

"You aren't an intruder. Come on, I'm sure he'd be happy to see you as well. He's been asking about you a lot. Or do you already have plans?"

She shook her head.

"No, I'm free today, and I'd love to join you. But I really have to get dressed first."

Booth gave her one more thorough look and poked her bare foot with his sock-clad one.

"You're very pretty in the morning. Thanks for this."

"Whatever makes you happy," she smiled with only the hint of a blush.

Whatever made him happy... Booth thought about her words after she had disappeared into her bathroom one more time. Happiness. He had started to feel it again. It was in every beat of his heart and in every breath he took. And this time there was no question about its origin. It was her.

Spending time with Brennan made him happy. And if her smiling face was any indicator, she felt it as well.

His eyes wandered around until he spotted the little plant he had sent her on the windowsill. He hadn't lied to her, there was no secret symbolic meaning, but somehow it had been important to give her a living thing and not a bunch of daffodils that would be limp one week from today. He had wanted something that would last.

When he heard her footsteps, Booth turned his head. Brennan emerged from the bathroom, wearing a simple pair of faded jeans and a floral-printed shirt. Her hair was in a ponytail, her face fresh and clean. Still no make-up, he realized with a sudden swell in his heart region.

"I think I'm ready. How cold is it outside?"

"Not that cold, but you might want to put on a light jacket."

Accepting his verdict, she fetched a gray cardigan, and then she was ready to go. Booth didn't seem to be in a hurry, though, and made a gesture with his finger for her to come to him. She approached him obediently.

"What is it?"

Taking her hand, he pulled her into his lap. He had never held her like this before, and she was heavier than he had thought she would be but oh so soft. Brennan didn't fight him and wrapped her arms around his neck, a questioning expression on her face.

"I just followed a spontaneous impulse."

She giggled and placed her head on his shoulder.

"I appreciate your spontaneousness."

He played with a strand of her silky hair, humming in contentment, and Brennan felt the urge to kiss him raising its head. She didn't do it, though, because deep down she understood that he was still testing his strength, getting used to this. With any other man the slow pace would have frustrated her, but then she realized that she didn't really have a reference value. She had never been held by a man like this, just because.

'I guess I have to get used to it as well,' she mused, as she placed a featherlight kiss on his neck. He was warm underneath her lips, and he smelled like... Booth. Pressing her palm to his chest, she could feel his strong heartbeat. Steady and real.

He sighed, but it was a happy kind of sigh.

"If we don't leave now, we will be late," he murmured after a while, and she lifted her head.

"I'm ready to go."

He surprised her by getting up and taking her with him, holding her safely in his strong arms, and she laughed at the bubbles in her stomach when he whirled her around. Then put her down, and she felt solid ground underneath her feet again.

Looking into her pale blue eyes, Booth allowed himself to trust the blissfulness of the moment. The fracture... it still held.

-BONES-

"Mommy, is Daddy really coming?"

Parker Booth tugged at his mother's hand with the impatience only children can muster, and Rebecca smiled at her son.

"He promised he would come, and Seeley never breaks a promise. Ah, look, there he is."

Parker's gaze followed the direction her finger was pointing at, and then he jumped up and down.

"This is Bones!"

"I can see it," Rebecca uttered. "That's a surprise, we haven't heard that much of her lately."

"That was just because of _Hannah_."

Parker rolled his eyes.

"I thought you liked her?"

"She was okay, but I like Bones better. Do you think that now where Hannah is gone we can hang out with Bones again?"

Observing how Seeley nudged his partner's shoulder with his own and how she leaned into his body just a second too long, Rebecca's lips curved into a smile.

"I think it would be a safe bet."

-BONES-

"Daddy!"

"Parks!"

Booth caught the bundle of kid that flew in his direction and threw his son into the air.

"Whoa, you're getting heavier and bigger every minute, Parker Booth."

The boy giggled and squirmed to be put down again. Then he tilted his head to flash the woman next to his father a cute smile.

"Bones, it is so cool that you are here. You want a hug as well?"

"That would be acceptable."

Getting on her knees, Brennan outstretched her arms, and soon blonde curls tickled her face. Before the kid released her, she heard his whispered words.

"I've missed you."

Deeply touched, she simply nodded and squeezed his hand.

"Buddy, I think the coach is calling you."

Parker's head flung around.

"I have to go. See you later."

"Good luck!"

Ten minutes later the two partners were sitting on a wooden bench next to Rebecca, and as soon as the game started, Brennan allowed her mind to wander. Just a few months ago it had been Hannah sitting next to Booth, and even though Brennan had liked the tough journalist, she was incredibly relieved that their relationship had ended. Feigning happiness for Booth when her own heart had almost been torn apart had been harder than expected.

Adjusting to... love was so much better than accepting the bitter taste of regret.

Sensing her absentmindedness, Booth patted her hand briefly.

"Everything okay?"

Turning her head to him, she banished his insecurity with one bright gaze.

"Everything is just right."

Finally everything was like it should be.

-BONES-

A week later the green sprout that was her daffodil had gained size significantly, and a tiny bud was growing. Brennan watered and fertilized the plant with care; she really wanted this one to get big and strong.

She had shared several meals with Booth in the past week, and one night, when the full moon was hanging big and fat on the velvety sky, he had even kissed her again. Brennan supposed it had happened because he had wanted to end an argument, and as as soon as his warm lips had captured her own, she had indeed forgotten the words she had wanted to say.

Kissing Booth had stirred an ache of longing deep in her belly, and within seconds the kiss had gone from tender to out of control. When she had been able think again, Brennan had found herself pressed against the side of his car, his hips nestled between her thighs. His eyes had been dark and passionate, his breath hot on her face.

An awkward smile had followed, but he hadn't retreated, and from time to time when he looked at her, Brennan found primeval hunger in his gaze.

The next week a double homicide demanded their full attention, and she barely left the lab. Aside from a few lunches in the Diner, Brennan didn't see that much of her partner, and she realized that she missed him with almost physical pain. They managed to close the case on Friday, but due to their mutual exhaustion the evening found them yawning into their celebration drinks.

Her wine was red, his beer cold, and the bartender at the Founding Father's smiled knowingly as he found his two clients sitting so close to each other again. Somehow he liked those two, and he had observed the distance between them melting over the last weeks.

Gradually and steadily.

As a bartender, he heard a lot of stories – he had witnessed drinks of loneliness as well as drinks of happiness – but, nevertheless, he felt a sweet wave in his big heart as he noticed how the tall man brushed a dark strand out of the woman's face. She smiled at him sleepily and leaned into his touch, missing the look of utmost devotion and care on his face.

The bartender risked a quick glance at his watch. If he was a gambler, he would put his money on "five minutes" and send an additional prayer heavenwards that they would leave together – but he wasn't a gambler, he was just one romantic soul.

Exactly four minutes later the tall man threw a few bills on the table and said something to the woman. She nodded and got up. The bartender smiled as he watched them walking away, the man's hand on her lower back. He had a very good feeling.

-BONES-

In the car Brennan closed her eyes, and the monotone sound of the traffic seemed to switch off her brain. She could feel Booth's hand brushing her knee whenever he changed gears, and the male scent of him was surrounding her like a cozy blanket. It felt good.

"I've missed you," she mumbled with closed eyes, and his eyes lit up with joy.

"I've missed you, too," he confessed and patted her knee.

With a soft sigh her hand closed around his, and warmth was flooding her body. Soon, very soon she felt the car stopping and opened her eyes again.

"You're home, Bones."

"I see."

Drawing her into his arms, Booth held her close for a few minutes, his nose buried in her hair. Just feeling her.

"Goodnight, Bones."

"Stay with me," she whispered.

"Oh..."

"I mean, just stay," she hurried to clarify. "I have _really_ missed you, and I don't want to be without you right now."

"Okay."

Wordlessly, he parked the car and followed her into her building; wordlessly, she leaned her head against his chest in the elevator; wordlessly, he wrapped his arm around her waist.

Her apartment was dark and quiet, a trace of sandalwood in the air.

Taking his hand, she lead him to her bedroom, and her voice was as soft as the wings of a nightingale when she spoke.

"There are towels and a fresh toothbrush in the bathroom, take what you need."

When he came back five minutes later, she was already in bed, and he assumed that she had used her other bathroom. She wore something blue, and her dark hair was spread out on the white pillow. Exhaustion added a trace of vulnerability to her beauty, and clad in only his boxers and an undershirt, he slid under the blanket next to her. Immediately, she gravitated towards his warmth, and he opened his arms for her.

"Hmm, this feels nice," she whispered sleepily, and he brushed his mouth over her soft one. Languidly, she parted her lips and waited for his tongue to meet her own. He didn't disappoint her, and the tenderness he felt for this woman was evident in the soft way he worshipped her mouth.

"Yeah, really nice," he finally agreed, and she cuddled into his side.

"Booth, you are so important to me..."

His hold on her tightened, and his legs tangled with hers.

'I love you,' his heart answered, but despite everything that had happened between them in the last weeks, he still didn't feel safe enough to say it out loud.

"I feel very close to you," he finally answered hoarsely.

Smiling into his shirt, Brennan caressed his back in a slow pattern, and he melted under her touch.

"Thanks for staying."

"Thanks for asking me to stay."

Her lashes tickled his chest, as her eyelids fluttered, and very gently he kissed her temple.

"Sweet dreams, Temperance."

"Goodnight, Booth."

-BONES-

The rabbit which had been chasing the pig turned to a brighter shade of purple.

'This is ridiculous,' Booth thought, and then he woke up. Saturday morning sun rays were tickling his face, and he felt warmth that wasn't his own against his chest. His heart stopped for a moment, as he remembered where he was.

'So this is it. Waking up next to Temperance Brennan.'

He shifted slightly and dared opening an eye, but all that he could see was dark hair and a pale neck. She was lying on her side, using his arm as a pillow, her back pressed against his chest. Her breath pattern was steady, and she was soft like sleep itself.

Unable to resist the temptation, he buried his nose in her hair and kissed the skin on her nape. So warm, so silky, so Brennan. She mumbled incoherently and turned around until she was facing him, her eyes still closed. With a smile around his lips Booth kissed her eyelid and then the other one. Her nose wrinkled, and she hummed quietly.

"Good morning," he whispered lovingly, and suddenly her lids opened. Her eyes were pale and innocent, still clouded with sleep.

'This is how she looks first thing in the morning," he thought in awe and filed the information away.

"Hi," she finally said, unable to tear her gaze away from his face. He looked... at peace.

Enveloping her pliant body in his muscular arms, Booth pulled her closer, and she melted against his frame like a perfect fit. His fingers brushed over naked skin where her top had ridden up, and she shivered. Her nerve endings was still so sensitive, so defenseless after the oblivion of sleep, and his touch sent a rush of heat through her insides.

Moaning softly, she grazed his shoulder with her teeth, and he gasped at the sensation. She was so responsive, so supple in his arms, and her heavenly scent affected him deeply. Booth knew that he should let go of her soon, or she would notice just _how_ deeply, but right now holding her like this felt simply too good.

"You are better than the seventh game of the World Series," he stated seriously, and she laughed.

"That is a strange compliment, but thank you."

When the excitement in his lower body became unable to ignore, Booth tried to rob away, but she followed his movement. His heartbeat increased.

"Bones... Maybe we should get up."

"No! Why?"

"Why..."

Taking a deep breath, Booth grabbed her hips and – very slowly – he rocked into her. Her eyes widened in amazement, suddenly crystal blue and clear.

"_Oh!_"

The arousal on her face was too much to bear, and, on its own volition, his mouth found hers, greeting her in their first good morning kiss ever. Sucking his bottom lip between her teeth, Brennan pressed herself closer to him. Her thighs parted just a few inches, making place for him, and the friction between them was achingly sweet. She felt wetness pooling between her legs, and even through their clothes his heat burned her.

His kiss was everything, and when he released her, she moaned in protest.

"God, you drive me crazy," he managed to say, as his breath came less ragged.

Cupping his dear face in her hands, she regarded him with big eyes.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not a bad anything," he smiled back at her. "How do you feel right now?"

"Mostly... warm," she answered after a while.

"Warm is good," he stated.

"How do you feel?"

"A little bit overwhelmed," he admitted honestly.

"Good overwhelmed or bad overwhelmed?"

Capturing her lips one more time, he answered,

"Good. Absolutely good."

"Maybe we should really get up, then, before it gets even more overwhelming."

"Hmm. What do you say about a stroll over the market? The weather is perfect, and there is a stall with delicious bagels and great coffee."

"Sounds good. Do you have spare clothes?"

"In my car."

And just like this one April Saturday in Washington D.C. found Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth enjoying the sun on their faces. Her heart was full, and the smile couldn't be washed of his face. Every once in a while his gaze lingered on her body, remembering the early morning feelings, and she seemed to be unable to maintain an inch of space between them.

Eventually, he reached for her hand, and when their fingers intertwined, it was more than only a physical connection.

-BONES-

Jazz. He wanted to take her to a jazz club.

At 8 pm that night Brennan was standing in front of her closet, debating what to wear. Even after everything that had happened between them, tonight felt like a first date, and she wanted to look perfect.

On top of that, her daffodil had started to bloom in the palest shade of yellow ever seen, and even though it was _not_ a symbol, somehow it felt like one.

A dress, she wanted to wear a dress for him. She wanted to look soft and feminine, but at the same time she wanted to remind him who she was. Who they were. Her lips curved into a smile, as her eyes spotted the perfect garment.

Booth was nervous. He had just said goodbye to his partner a few hours ago, had hugged her and kissed her, but, nevertheless, he felt like a teenage boy as he was standing in front of her apartment at half past eight.

Then she opened her door, and the breath whooshed out of his lungs, as his eyes widened.

"Oh my God..."

He was in love, so madly in love with her.

"Hi..."

"Is this the original dress?"

"Yes."

The dress he had chosen for her so long ago, the dress that had been "hot" back then and still was, the dress that was as black as the night. She looked even better than she had all those years ago because tonight she didn't hide behind a Roxy persona. Her nails weren't red, her hair wasn't fixed with too much hairspray, her face showed only a trace of make-up.

"You are so beautiful..."

Throwing caution in the wind, he reached out to her and enfolded her in his arms, his lips grazing her ear.

"Oh God, I'm so in love with you..."

The universe shifted as she fell from the edge of the world, sobbing and laughing at the same time. Then his lips were under hers.

"I'm so in love with you as well, Booth..."

And as he tightened his hold on her, he laughed with glee, wondering why his eyes suddenly felt damp.

They went out after all, and the tiny jazz club was tasteful and just the right amount of smoky, but when he swayed her softly on the dance floor, they could have been anywhere. Forgetting about the world, forgetting about the music, he just felt her in his arms, and she only felt him. They danced forever, and only when they registered a discrete harrumph they noticed that the music had stopped and the place was about to close.

Magic followed them, as they were driving in his car, and love was on their wake, as they walked arm in arm to her apartment.

Once again she opened her door to darkness, silence and sandalwood, but when he scooped her up in his arms, they were forgotten as well. Carrying her into her bedroom, Booth didn't feel the delicate burden of her weight at all, and her head on his shoulder was the sweetest thing ever.

Very gently, he placed her on top of her covers, just looking at her for a moment.

"Is this really happening?" she finally whispered, and he crawled next to her.

"Yes," he said, and his voice was bare of doubt.

Once more they stilled, only their gazes caressing each other. When she couldn't wait one heartbeat longer, Brennan brought her hand to his face, tracing its contours in a featherlight caress. His eyes closed on a sigh, and he caught her hand, placing a soft kiss on the inside of her wrist.

"I've been loving you for such a long time, Temperance."

"I know," came her small voice, "and I've always wanted it. I just wasn't ready. I... I love you so much, Booth."

"Show it to me..."

"Yes," she promised against his lips, and then words were replaced by kisses as their bodies spoke of love and longing.

Finding the zipper he had closed so many years ago, Booth opened her dress, pulling the nostalgic piece of black over her head – and one more time this night he lost his breath at the sight of her in her simple underwear.

The contrast between the darkness of the lace and the alabaster tone of her skin called out for his heart, and he touched her almost reverently.

"So beautiful..."

Her small hands were tugging at his shirt, eventually winning over the buttons, and then they met each other for the first time skin to skin. A mutual gasp of awe left their lips, soon swallowed by another breathless kiss.

Pulling him on top of her, Brennan widened her thighs to accommodate him, and despite his big frame and physical strength she felt nothing but strong and safe. Supporting his weight on his left arm, Booth let his free hand explore her body; the elegant curve of her jaw, her gracious neck, and then he reached the softness of her full breasts, stroking and kneading her through the flimsy material of her bra.

The lace added to the pleasant friction he created, and her sensitive nipples tautened under his touch. A barely audible sound left her lips. So good...

Soon feeling her through a barrier wasn't enough anymore, and Booth lifted her upper body to undo the clasp. Kissing her lips one more time, he slid down her body until her legs were wrapped around his waist and he could face her feminine curves. Milky-white with a dusky shade of pink, firm and soft – perfect.

A sigh of bliss escaped his mouth as he lowered his head, running his tongue over her exposed flesh. She gasped, and her back arched involuntarily, bringing her chest even closer to his lips. Not wasting one more second, he closed his mouth around her and sucked softly... and then just a little bit harder.

She whimpered, and the sweet noise went straight to his groins. His hand joined in his mouth, and he rolled one hard bud between forefinger and thumb, causing her to squirm underneath him.

"Booth..."

"Yeah, Babe?"

He released her breast to speak, but only briefly before he licked his way to the other one, giving it just the same ministration. A particular strong tug of his lips caused her hips to buckle, and she gasped anew.

"Gentle... It's been a while," she whispered, and his heart flew to her.

"I'm so sorry, my love," he murmured, as he crawled back to her head, searching her gaze.

She looked at him with pale blue fire and shook her head wildly.

"Don't be, it doesn't matter anymore."

He kissed her, and when her chest pressed against his, Booth could feel the dampness he had left behind. 'Mine,' he thought, 'mine, mine, mine.' Then it was his turn to moan when her hands clasped his buttocks, pulling him into the juncture between her thighs even further.

"Oh..."

"You're wearing too many clothes," she stated, and reluctantly he left his perfect place on her body to get rid of his pants. Loosening the belt buckle, opening the zipper, kicking away the superfluous garment. The socks came next, and then he was standing in front of her bed in nothing more than his boxers. They were polka-dotted, and despite the arousal that was clouding her mind, Brennan had to smile.

This was Booth. _Her_ Booth. Making love to her.

Shifting until she sat on the mattress in front of him, Brennan hooked her thumbs into the waistband, and – with one more look into his dark brown eyes – she lowered his underwear. Then he was naked, and while she took him in for the first time, she was somehow worried about the ridiculous pace of her pulse.

Deciding that she wouldn't mind dying because of this, Brennan let her finger run over the silky heat of his arousal, and before he had a chance to get used to the sensation, she grasped his firm buttocks anew and took him between her lips.

"Fuck," he hissed in surprise, but he couldn't stop his pelvis from rocking into the perfect warmth of her mouth.

"Bones..."

Tracing his thick shaft with her tongue, she applied just the right amount of suction, and he saw stars dancing behind his eyelids. One hand was still squeezing his buttocks, but the other one seemed to be gone. He didn't have to wonder too long, though, because suddenly her felt her cupping his balls, and one more time he almost lost it...

Oblivious to his inner struggle, Brennan reveled in the intimate act of tasting her partner. She had never been particularly fond of this activity, but this was Booth, and she wanted everything. He was hard and tasted so clean, almost delicious. His groans drove her crazy, and his arousal only heightened her own.

Suddenly he was gone, and her moan of protest followed his backwards movement.

Panting heavily, Booth pushed her back onto the mattress, almost devouring her lips.

"Not fair," he uttered between fast breaths, and she felt strong and feminine.

Her throaty and triumphant laughter turned into a gasp, as he slid his hand into her panties and one finger into her body.

"Oh God..."

Wetness, silkiness, heavenly tightness.

Immediately, her inner muscles gripped him, and when he pushed his tongue between her lips, he stroked her in a rhythm that mimicked his intimate touch. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she clung to him for dear life, as he touched her deeper than anybody else had ever done.

This was different, this was love...

"Babe, I want to taste you," he demanded on a husky whisper.

Nodding, she gave her permission, but before he could bury himself between her legs, she stilled him with a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know how long I can last. Like I said, it's been a while..."

"Did you wait for me?" he asked, a hint of insecurity in his eyes, and she shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe. Maybe I wanted to learn the difference between crappy sex and love."

He placed a tender kiss on her belly while his thumb brushed through her intimate curls.

"You will."

"I already am..."

He gave her a last smile before lowering his head.

"See you on the other side."

"I don't know what- _oh_..."

At first it was like an explosion of dazzling light, but then she could feel the difference between his lips and his tongue on her. His lips sucking her, his tongue grazing her. He seemed to change pattern after every gentle suction, but then he surprised her by plunging the tip of his tongue into her core, and Brennan couldn't pay attention anymore. She could just feel.

Booth loved this. Her white thighs were wide open, as she surrendered himself to his caresses, and the sweet and salty taste of her made his own arousal throb almost painfully. He knew that she trusted him, but now he could feel just how much. Her sensitive bud was hard, her tight tunnel silky and damp.

Incoherent noises left her lips, and she squirmed so much that he had to use one hand to hold her in place. Her hand found his on her hip, clasping it tightly, and giving her a moment to adjust to the sensation, he let his tongue run over her full length in an almost soothing motion.

Then the time for gentle and slow was over, and just when he closed his lips around her swollen bundle of nerves, he inserted one thick finger into her core. And a second one.

Crying out, she threw her head back, as she came on his fingers, clenching wildly around him without rhythm, without logic.

Smiling into her flesh, Booth continued kissing her until the contractions subsided. Removing his fingers, he licked them clean before he crawled back on top of her. Brennan embraced him with every limb she could move, and when she found the strength to open her eyes, he was smiling down on her.

"Welcome back."

Unable to speak, she pulled his head down for a kiss, tasting herself on his lips. The intimacy of the moment overwhelmed her somehow, but, as always, he caught her and cradled her until her world had stopped spinning.

A single tear left her eye, and he brushed it away with a concerned look on his face, but her smile reassured him.

"Amazing," she finally uttered, and he smoothed her hair with his palms.

"Yes, amazing."

"Please, make love to me," she said on a whisper.

"I thought I already was," he answered playfully, and she rolled her eyes.

"Then complete this round of sexual intercourse with the act of penetration, please," she said dryly, and he flinched.

"Eek. Remind me to never tease you again while we're in bed."

"Would you... please?"

Bringing her legs back to the mattress, she shifted until he was positioned at her entrance, and with a gentle move of his pelvis, he entered her. Joined them. Finally. Her gaze held his, even as the sensation sent shivers through every cell in her body, and the awe on his face made her love him even more.

When he was buried inside her as deep as possible, he stilled for a moment, a sheen of sweat covering his brow.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked huskily, and she pressed her forehead to his, listening to her body. He stretched her deliciously, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It felt... whole.

"No," she finally said. "Please move."

"I don't want to hurt- ah..."

He gasped, as she took she decision from him by rocking into him from below.

"Oh God... okay... I get it," he uttered, and then he started to move.

Slowly at first, but tension built with every sweet thrust. She embraced him completely, and never before in his life had Booth felt so welcome, so loved. He hoped he could give her just a fraction of what he felt right now.

Moving inside of her was the closest thing to perfect he had ever experienced, and he wanted to howl at the overwhelming rightness of the moment. She was tight and damp and warm, and with every stroke she opened just a tad more for him. Taking him, accepting him.

Cupping her hip with his palm, he changed the angle so that he could hit her deeper, and the color of her lively eyes turned to a darker shade of blue.

"Yes, more," she gasped, and he lost it.

Crushing his lips to hers, he thrust into her without control, and then she went rigid underneath him. Holding onto him, she shuddered almost violently, and the sweetest sensation rushed through his body, as her silky walls gripped and squeezed him in perfect ecstasy, sending him right over the edge with her. Breathing heavily, he collapsed on top of her, and a world that had barely existed tonight disappeared completely in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

-BONES-

It was Brennan who recovered first, and running her fingers through his thick hair, she enjoyed Booth's weight on top of her. Granted, he was crushing her a little bit, but not for all the world would she have wanted it any different.

The love she felt surrounding her was only matched by the one that was beating wildly in her own heart, and when he finally moved in an attempt to roll down from her, she locked her arms behind his back to hold him in place.

Lifting his head, Booth was greeted by her bright smile.

"Welcome back," she repeated his former words, and he laughed breathlessly.

"Your learning curve really is disturbing."

She giggled.

"I wanna do that again sometime."

"Works for me. I'm free... for the rest of my life."

Holding a breath, he awaited her answer.

"I take it," she simply said, making him officially the happiest man on earth.

-BONES-

Later that night, when they were curled up underneath her blanket, both of them fought against sleepiness, unwilling to let the night end.

"I'm glad we were trapped in the storm," she said after a while of silence.

"I'm glad we set a date. What did you write?"

"I think I cheated," she confessed. "I just wrote 'soon'."

Chuckling, he placed a kiss on her head.

"I think I cheated myself."

"What did you write?"

"'When the sun is shining again.'"

And the sun had been shining.

To be continued...

… _at least if anyone is in the mood for a completely silly and mushy epilogue._


	5. Epilogue

V. Epilogue

The day had been long, and Booth was exhausted and relieved at the same time when he came home that evening. Well, technically he didn't come "home" but rather to Brennan's, but sometime in the last weeks he had started to refer to her apartment as "home" as well.

It was a place where he ate, laughed and fell asleep in her arms. A place where a collection of his suits and socks coexisted peacefully with her dresses. His very own toothbrush was there, a bottle of aftershave on her vanity and his favorite beer in the fridge.

It was warm and cozy. It was everything a home should be.

Unlocking the door with his key, he called her name.

"Hey, Bones, I'm home."

She didn't answer immediately, and automatically his hand went to his gun.

"Bones? Where are you?"

Coat next to the door. The shoes she had worn today on the floor. Kitchen empty. Living room...

"Oh, Bones, what has happened?"

Forgetting about his gun, Booth rushed to the miserable woman curled up on the couch. Her face was pale, her eyes teary.

"Are you hurt?"

She shook her head but avoided his eyes. Not good.

"Honey... talk to me. Please..."

"Booth, I... I killed it after all."

Throwing her arms around his neck, she sobbed into his shoulder while he tried to make sense of her words.

"You killed it? What did you kill?"

She sniffled.

"The plant is dead. I've been worried about its state for a few days, and I've tried everything to save it, but now it is all brown and withered. It's an omen. Please don't leave me..."

Closing his eyes in relief, Booth tried his best to suppress a chuckle because she was obviously upset.

"Oh, Bones, that's fine. It's just a plant, and you did not kill it. It's merely sleeping, and next year it'll grow and blossom again."

Lifting her head from his shoulder, she searched his eyes.

"You promise?"

"With all my heart. Do you honestly think I would leave you because of some brown petals?"

She shrugged her shoulders, and he crushed her to his body.

"Sometimes you are awfully stupid given the capability of your brain," he murmured.

"I heard that," came her dry reply, and finally he had to laugh.

"How often shall I repeat that it is just a plant and not a jinxed symbol with mysterious power? Hell, I'd buy you a whole field full of it if you want to."

"I liked this one," she insisted.

"And it'll return with full force next year, giving you one more chance to kill it after all," he smirked.

"You aren't being very sensitive right now," she pouted.

"Because you are behaving highly irrationally. Look, Bones, we can just put it into a dark place for a few months, or we go to the park and bury it somewhere."

"It don't want it to be alone in the dark."

"Please tell me the number of your IQ again."

Finally she couldn't help but join in his laughter. Wiping the tears out of her eyes, she complained,

"This is all your fault."

"My fault?"

"Yes. I've been perfectly content with being a scientist, living my life, and then along came you, confusing me with your theories about love and two people becoming one, and now I'm all mushy."

"Do you regret it?" he asked, his gaze suddenly serious, and she rolled her eyes.

"Exactly how stupid do you think I am?"

Capturing her lips with his, he mumbled,

"You never fail to surprise me. I mean, five minutes ago you've been crying about a plant. I really didn't see that one coming."

"_Our_ plant."

"You want to buy a new one?"

Her brow furrowed.

"That feels wrong somehow."

Chuckling, he leaned back on the couch and pulled her into his lap. Her head found its common place in the crook of his neck without hesitation, and he enjoyed the now familiar feeling of holding this woman.

"Bones... you, me, the plant – that's life. You grow, you blossom, you wither, and then it all starts anew."

"That's somehow sad."

"No, it's beautiful. It's the circle of life."

"I'm really behaving irrationally."

"Yep."

"After all, I know a thing or two about the circle of life as well."

"I'm glad you finally remember the bone stuff you do at work."

"If you weren't so comfortable to sit on, I would kick you right now."

"I love you, too."

"I didn't say that... oh, I understand. But I love you as well."

"I'm glad we talked about it."

"Can I hear sarcasm in your voice?"

"I don't know, _can you_?"

"You are mean."

"You are mine."

"There is no context between the last two statements."

"Potato, patato."

"This is getting ridiculous, and I believe you used the idiom in a wrong way."

"Well, sometimes things get ridiculous when you come home to find your woman all in tears on the couch."

"Stop talking and kiss me."

And so he did, after all, he was Booth, and she was Brennan. Together they had made it through the storm, and side by side they were walking into the sun.

Metaphorically speaking, of course...

_You love someone, you open yourself up to suffering, that's the sad truth. Maybe they'll break your heart; maybe you'll break their heart and never be able to look at yourself in the same way. Those are the risks. That's the burden. Like wings, they have weight, we feel that weight on our backs, but they are a burden that lifts us. Burdens which allow us to fly._

-The End-


End file.
